


just mark lee.

by kim_wonpil



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, Self-Indulgent, church, imagine everyone with a british accent, lots of talk about religion and christianity, mentions of stalking?? nothing too major, set in England, set in the 80s
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24416650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kim_wonpil/pseuds/kim_wonpil
Summary: “forgive me father, for i have sinned.”“speak my child.”mark took a deep breath. “i’m in love with another boy, father.”-or in which mark falls in love with the transfer student, but struggles to come to terms with his sexuality.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 21
Kudos: 134





	just mark lee.

**Author's Note:**

> hello!! i hope you’ll enjoy this. warning, theres a lot of talk of religion in this, and some mention of stalking, but it’s nothing major.
> 
> there’ll be a glossary at the end if there’s any british words you don’t understand!
> 
> this fic is dedicated @dcrksun on twitter, aka tee! we’re both british so when i thought of this idea it felt necessary to dedicate it to her! hope you enjoy tee!

He was just Mark Lee. Mark Lee from Surrey, England. Mark Lee, who was born on the second of August, 1969. Mark Lee, who played guitar, and Mark Lee, who drew pictures. Pretty good pictures, actually, Jaemin’s words.

Jaemin, who went by James in his new town, was the delinquent type. And Jeno, who preferred that name to his basic English name, John, was quite the strange kid. They made a good couple. Even when they were screamed at for holding hands by the students at their all boys school, Jaemin always made sure each one of the bullies felt the pain right back.

Mark wished he had Jaemin’s courage, and he wished he had Jeno’s giving of affection.

He’d never had anything against gay people, despite being brought up Christian his whole life. He couldn’t be gay himself, as there was a girl from the comp called Lucy, and she was pretty, definitely Mark’s type.

It sucked when she moved to America. Mark felt his heart snap.

Crushes came and went. Every time Mark tried, there would be some issue.

_I’m sorry, Mark, you’re just not that fit._

_I’m sorry, Mark, but you’re just not really my type._

_I’m sorry, Mark, I’m dating Julian._

_I’m sorry, Mark, I thought you were gay?_

Gay? No. Not Mark Lee. He knew for certain that he was not gay, and that he was straight and that he would get married to a woman and have children and a big home in the country.

Until Donghyuck came.

-

Donghyuck came into the school with a bang. He was strikingly fit, his hair covering his face and his uniform slightly untidy. He was perfect.

“Mark wants a piece of the new kid, hm?” Jaemin smirked, following Mark’s gaze.

Donghyuck was queuing for a sausage roll on the dreary Monday break. He stood impatiently, tapping his foot. So many people wanted to know Donghyuck. They couldn’t pronounce his name, but they didn’t really care.

“I don’t want a piece of him,” Mark grumbled.

Jeno snickered, “Yeah right, James? He’s still mad for Lucy from Year 7.”

“Fuck off, John.”

Jeno raised his plastic knife in anger, before realising he was too lazy for that, and tucked into his Yorkshire pudding.

“He’s def got the hots,” Jaemin grinned mischievously, “Looks at our Mark’s cheeks when Donghyuck looks his way. ‘S like he’s seen, like, some model or something.”

“Rumour has it Donghyuck Lee is a model. He’s just keepin’ it a secret.” Jeno said, with a quiet tone.

Everyone stared at Donghyuck. Mark wasn’t any different, of course. Like we’ve established, he’s just Mark Lee.

“Doesn’t have any friends. Let’s get him to sit with us.” And then, Jaemin was out of his seat, striding proudly towards the boy with his signature smile.

They took a while to come back, because Jaemin grabbed a Capri-Sun on the way.

“Alright, Donghyuck, this is Jeno, my boyfriend, and this is Mark, no one’s boyfriend.”

Donghyuck raised his eyebrows. “Alright?”

The twinge of poshness in his voice broke a string in Mark’s heart, like a guitar. Donghyuck sat beside him and bit into his steaming sausage roll, as Jaemin took his seat back next to his boyfriend.

“Where ya from in Korea, Hyuck?” Jaemin asked. Always the sociable one.

“Jeju. I was born there, but moved to Brighton when I was three.”

“I see. So you gotta do your military service, eh?”

Donghyuck shrugged. “Dunno.” 

He turned his attention to Mark, looking him up and down. “Where were you born, baby?”

“Uh, here. In Guildford,” Mark said slowly, “I-I ain’t ever been to Korea.”

“Gap year?” Jeno suggested, his Yorkshire pudding having disappeared.

“Sounds like a plan, baby,” Jaemin smiled. He left a chaste kiss to Jeno’s head. “Me and the lover are gonna spend a penny. Mark, don’t be late to English, alright?”

Mark nodded, his face flustered. Jeno and Jaemin stood up and left, leaving Mark and Donghyuck by themselves.

Donghyuck leaned towards Mark. “Are they off to snog?”

“Yeah. Probably,” Mark nodded.

The younger stared at him for a minute. “Mark, innit?”

“Yeah.”

“I like your cross.”

Mark noticed his cross necklace had been dangling out of his shirt collar the whole time. He quickly tucked it back in his shirt and laughed nervously. “Sorry.”

“No worries, mate. Don’t be ashamed. Lots of us here are religious. Me, I’m a little agnostic myself.”

“Right, I see,” Mark nodded.

“Do you wanna come round my house one day?”

-

“And he just fuckin’ asked me to go round his house on Saturday!”

“He’s into you, mate. Go for it!” Johnny, Mark’s older brother, nudged his shoulder.

“I’m not gay, John,” Mark sighed, laying back on his bed. His David Bowie poster on the ceiling stared down at him in shame for not being himself and realising the truth.

“I’ve seen shit, Mark Lee,” Johnny groaned, opening up the window and lighting his cigarette, “You always fuckin’ yap about how fit Paul McCartney was in the sixties.”

“He’s not fit, he’s just a great guitarist and songwriter!” Mark grabbed his keys and his jacket, “I’m going Tesco’s. Mum wants me to grab dinner.”

“Alright. When you come back, find somewhere you can bring back condoms.”

“Fuckin’ disgustin’, John.” Mark slammed the door as he left to be annoying, only to be yelled at by his mother.

Mark set off on his bicycle, locking the door of the sweet shop that he, Johnny and their mother lived on top of. He cycled down the road to Tesco, grabbing what he wanted and paying for it with his mum’s savings. When he left the shop, he only found his bike missing. 

“Fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, looking around to see if anyone was riding it. Sure enough, some prick was riding it off into the distance. Mark ran with all his strength, grabbing the person’s jacket. “Oi, you fucker, that’s my bike!”

Mark turned the boy around, only to see the boy he’d been thinking about all night, Donghyuck Lee.

“D-Donghyuck what the fuck?!”

“Fuck’s sake, Mark, I’m so sorry. I-I saw you park it, b-but I don’t have any money for a bus fare, s-so I was gonna go home and give it back to you, so-”

“Fuckin’ hell, Donghyuck, shut up. I’ll take you home just fuckin’ ask me next time, alright?”

“I’m sorry. I was scared.” Donghyuck mumbled.

“Eh? Why?”

Donghyuck leaned in close to Mark’s ear, “A-A man was following me, Mark, h-he’s still there…”

Mark started looking around, before his cheeks were being cupped by Donghyuck’s sweaty palms.

“Don’t look, you’ll be obvious. Just pretend to be my boyfriend or somethin’.”

Mark’s eyes widened. “H-Hyuck, I’m not-”

“You’re not gay. I know. Just...help me out, mate.”

Donghyuck looked genuinely scared. In the month the boy had been attending the university, Mark had never seen him look so vulnerable.

“Wh-What am I thinking? Alright, I’ll help. What should we do?” 

Donghyuck presses a kiss dangerously close to Mark’s lips, before entwining their fingers. “Come on, babe.”

Mark’s heart began to pound, avoiding Donghyuck’s eyes and picking up the bike. It rolled alongside them as they walked together, holding hands. Donghyuck offered to hold Mark’s carrier bags, to thank him. 

To keep the mood happy, Mark brought up things about Korea, and they talked about things they liked. Mark found out that Donghyuck liked singing, and he also liked to write stories. Mark became intrigued, asking him more and more.

Occasionally, Donghyuck would look behind them to see if the man was following them. He was. The younger looked like he would cry. When he looked at Mark with his tearing eyes, the elder would squeeze his hand and pull him closer. They walked all the way to Donghyuck’s home, and eventually they’d lost the man.

“Thank you, Mark, seriously, thanks so much. Are you gonna be safe getting home?”

Mark smiled, feeling cold when their hands came undone. “It’s nothing. I can cycle home so I’ll be okay.”

Donghyuck wrapped his arms around Mark and sighed, inhaling his scent and bringing him inside him. Mark hugged him back, noticing how sweaty his back was.

“I love you, Mark. You’re a real mate.”

“You too, Hyuck. Get some rest, alright?” 

Donghyuck pecked his cheek and let him go. “I’ll see you on Saturday.”

Mark rode home quickly, only to get an earful from his mother. He didn’t care though, there was one boy on his mind, and one other thought.

He’d fallen in love with Donghyuck Lee.

-

“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”

Mark had debated going to the confessional, that Friday after school. He knew there had been nothing wrong with being in love with another boy, but Mark became scared of his feelings and decided he needed advice.

Father Jung sat on the other side of the booth, nodding. “Let us pray first, my child.”

Mark clasped his hands together, listening to Jaehyun’s prayer. Jaehyun, or Jefferey, was a family friend, and the local priest. He gave good advice, when Mark needed it.

“Speak, my child.”

Mark took a deep breath. “I’m in love with another boy, Father.”

“He makes my heart swell. I’ve thought through it time and time again. I yearn for him and I wish to be his, and his only. I ask for the Lord’s forgiveness...please.”

“Wait, Mark, I thought that you were okay with homosexuals?”

Mark looked up. “I am! But, I never knew I was. I’m scared. I don’t want the Lord to hate me, Father.”

Jaehyun sighed. “Mark, have you ever read Romans 13?”

Mark started to recite, and Jaehyun joined in. "Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."

“What does that mean to you, my child?”

“That I should love everybody and treat others how I wish to be treated. What does that have to do with my love for Donghyuck, Father?” Mark questioned.

“Our Lord is the only one who may judge us. No one has the right to tell you who to love, child. God may judge you, yes. But He loves you. He believes in you, Mark. Whatever is in your heart is right.”

“But..I love a boy, Father. My whole life I’ve crushed on girls…”

Jaehyun recited another verse, “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”

He continued to another verse, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Jesus Christ.”

“Do you know what this might mean, Mark?”

“That no matter what I do, no matter whom I love, God will love me.” 

“Precisely, Mark. Do you have your answer?” Jaehyun questioned him.

“I do, Father. Thank you.”

“Tell me how it goes with this Donghyuck boy. I’d love to hear.”

-

Mark arrived at Donghyuck’s house, ringing the doorbell. He stood there nervously, shifting the weight on his feet. He chose to wear his cross out proudly today (including the clothes he thought Donghyuck would like, and a certain cologne that was his late father’s).

The door opened, and out stepped the boy himself. He stared at Mark with a grin, a replica of it appearing on Mark’s face.

“I brought you some Ferrero Rocher-” Mark began, before a dog came bounding out of the house. A Bernese mountain dog, who was exceptionally cute, and had started climbing Mark’s thighs.

“ _Byeol,_ sit!” Donghyuck commanded. The dog instantly sat at Mark’s feet, wagging its tail.

“ _Byeol…_ ‘star’ in Korean, right?” Mark asked.

Donghyuck nodded. “That’s my girl. Sorry about that. She’s a bit bouncy.” The younger brought the dog back inside, taking Mark’s hand and bringing him in. 

After closing the front door, Donghyuck unlocked the back door and opened it for Byeol to go outside as she pleased. Still holding the boy’s hand, he quickly took Mark upstairs to his bedroom, sitting him down on his bed.

“Do you want a drink?”

“Please...do you have orange squash?”

Donghyuck snorted. “So cute,” he mumbled, before leaving the room and going downstairs. 

Mark observed the room, noticing the clutter and how cosy it felt. Sheets of music were scattered on the floor, and his desk was smothered in their chemistry homework. His bed wasn’t completely made to exact tidiness, but it was comfy, and by Lord it smelt like Donghyuck’s cologne. The walls were an ugly green, but band posters had covered a lot of it, as well as some plants that he’d hung on the wall and some sketches. One, he recognised as Byeol, a couple, he assumed to be Donghyuck’s parents and...Mark himself?

Donghyuck came back with two glasses, one of orange squash and the other of coke, as Mark was staring at the sketch. The younger set them down on the bedside table as he sat next to Mark hurriedly. “Don’t look at my drawings!” 

“Is that of me?”

Donghyuck’s eyes widened. He stood up and tore the sketch down from the wall, careful not to damage it. “Nope!”

“I-I draw too, Donghyuck. Yours are really good.”

Donghyuck blushed and sat back down next to him. “Thanks...let’s just eat those Ferrero Rochers…”

They’d finished the whole pack soon, and Donghyuck became restless. They decided to take their bikes to the park, leaning them against the dark green fence and climbing up on the playground equipment. 

Donghyuck was hanging off some monkey bars, before dropping down next to Mark. “You smell nice today.”

“Oh, don’t I usually smell nice?” Mark smirked, dragging Donghyuck over to the swings.

“Hey! You know what I mean,” he whined, plopping down on one of the swings. “Watch me, Mark! I can go really high!” 

Mark sat on the other swing, drifting his feet back and forth occasionally. He smiled up at the younger, who kicked off the ground and swung high into the sky. It was stupid really, but Donghyuck looked majestic. His long growing hair cascaded around him as he laughed and stared up at the clouds. 

“I love you, Donghyuck Lee,” Mark whispered. 

After a few swings, Donghyuck started to slow down. He scraped his shoe against the ground, falling forwards onto his face and groaning.

“Fuck! Hyuckie, are you okay?!” 

Mark shot up and grabbed him, turning him over. There was a little graze on his face, and another on his knee that had ripped a small hole in his jeans. The younger merely laughed. “I’m fine, you prick. Come on, let’s go.”

“I’m gonna disinfect those grazes for you,” Mark said directly, helping him stand to leave the park and drag their bikes back to Donghyuck’s house. 

-

Soon, Donghyuck and Mark were sitting in the kitchen, an antiseptic wipe dabbing against Donghyuck’s cheek. Mark had sorted his knee, after many whines from the younger about how much is stung. 

“Be quiet, you’re such a pussy,” Mark laughed.

Donghyuck just watched him intently, as Mark took care of him, and Byeol was sniffing around their legs to see what was wrong.

“All better,” Mark grinned, packing the first-aid equipment away. Donghyuck grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down on the chair opposite him, shocking Mark.

“Why’d you bring me Ferrero Rocher?”

“I-I thought it would be nice, considering you offered for me to come over.” Mark explained, lying through his teeth.

“No seriously, why did you?”

“To...make up for the other night? Thought it might make you feel better.”

Donghyuck raised an eyebrow, not looking impressed. “You walking me home was enough. Tell me, Mark.”

Mark sighed. The time had come. He couldn’t think of any other excuses. “I went to a confessional yesterday. I told the Father I had sinned, and I begged for forgiveness.”

“He told me that God would love me, no matter what I chose to do in this situation. He told me I needed to be honest with myself, and be proud of who I am. So in all honesty, I’m going to be honest, and tell you about me.”

“Donghyuck, I’m Mark Lee, from Surrey, England. I was born on the second of August, 1969, and I like playing the guitar and drawing, my drawings are pretty good in Jaemin’s eyes. All of that, and I’m gay. And I’m in love with you, Donghyuck Lee.”

Donghyuck’s expression was unreadable. Not a good start. Until, he spoke, in the same tone as Mark.

“My name is Donghyuck Lee, from Jeju, Korea. I was born on the sixth of June, 1970, I like to draw, sing and stare at you. I’m also gay, and in love with you, Mark.”

A smile grew on Mark’s face, with every word Donghyuck said. A soft giggle left Donghyuck’s lips when he saw Mark’s stupid smile, earning one back.

“I think this is the part where you kiss me,” Donghyuck whispered.

With that, Mark parted his lips, leaning forward and shutting his eyes. Donghyuck returned that favour, enclosing his arms around Mark’s shoulders, as their lips connected. 

Donghyuck opened his lips up, their tongues slipping next to each other, together in a perfect harmony that made them complement each other. The younger had made his way into Mark’s lap, softly moaning into his mouth, the vibration shivering down to Mark’s adam’s apple.

For his first kiss, Mark was impressed. He couldn’t find himself letting go, even if he wanted to. He felt as though he’d lose the boy if he pulled away from the kiss, and that was not going to happen anytime soon. 

Donghyuck gripped onto the chain of Mark’s cross for support, whimpering against the elder’s lips. 

Mark stood up, carefully dropping Donghyuck to the floor and kissing him deeply. The younger tilted his head back, becoming engulfed by Mark and completely giving himself up for him.

“Take me upstairs,” Donghyuck whispered. 

Mark obliged.

-

Half an hour later and they were lying shirtless on top of Donghyuck’s duvet, hot and sweaty. The ceiling fan was on, to calm the hot day and their hot bodies. 

Mark dragged his fingertips along the supple, tanned skin of Donghyuck’s shoulder, before touching the ice-cold golden chain around the younger’s neck. Donghyuck had his hand on Mark’s chest, tracing each line. 

“Do you feel okay?” Donghyuck asked the boy quietly.

“I feel good,” Mark smiled, closing his eyes.

Donghyuck littered some kisses where he’d left bruises on Mark’s collarbone and chest, his hand moving closer to the elder’s abdomen.

“Let’s ring Jaemin and tell him.”

“What?”

Before he knew it, Donghyuck was up and walked out of the room in his pants, going to the hallway for the house phone. He dialled a number, and Mark followed behind, throwing his shorts on. 

Donghyuck held the phone to his ear, shivering when Mark’s cold hands were brought around his waist. Gentle kisses were peppered behind Donghyuck’s ear and neck, making him smile.

“Hiya, Jaem. It’s Hyuck...Yeah, Mark’s here...Oh, we just went to the park, had something to eat, we had fun...Um, Jaem, are you and Jeno um...Hah, that’s funny, me and Mark just did the exact same th-”

Mark grabbed the phone and grinned awkwardly, “Hi Jaemin!”

“You and Hyuckie fucked?!”

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed!
> 
> glossary:
> 
> surrey - posh place in england  
> comp - comprehensive school  
> fit - attractive  
> sausage roll - snack of the heavens  
> yorkshire pudding - snack of the heavens ver. 2  
> guildford - town in surrey, england  
> spend a penny - go to the toilet  
> snog - make out  
> gap year - whole year taken usually before university as a break, usually travelling abroad  
> tesco - grocery shop in the uk, pretty swag  
> mate - friend  
> orange squash - concentrated orange juice where you add water to dilute it


End file.
